Traci Anello

The Power in Food

Tag Archives: love


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A new beginning with painting

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There comes a time when you get a bit older that you rediscover yourself, at least I am. Last Spring there was an opportunity to take a painting lesson in Portland, Maine. I signed up but never schedules a date. Everytime I picked up the phone to call, I found another excuse not to go. Finally in September, I made the call. The instructor was very sweet and accommodating. I only have one day a week to complete all of my errands. We agreed on a date: September 28th. I had that date engraved in my mind. I was going to do the smaller paintings on my own. I had no idea what I was doing but it felt good to sit and paint what I thought would soon become wall decorations. Well, maybe for my office or over where the cat furniture is. It just wasn’t coming out the way I had hoped. Until today…

I arrived at my lesson and saw a table with two vases of flowers, a box and an apple on top of the box and a tea cup. It looked pretty but was that my project? Did I mistakenly tell her I WAS a painter? And she thinks I’m going to paint that? What have I gotten myself into now. So I took a deep breath and decided I was going to do this. I looked around at the painting she had around her portion of the studio and liked all of them. I knew at least I was with someone who knew what she was doing and was very good at it. It’s kind of like going to a restaurant and if the food looks good and tastes better, the chef knows what he’s doing.

First she had me sketch the scene out. She offered very helpful tips on how to do this. Good thing because I’m the daughter of an engineer and I make sharp corners and straight lines. Not so much with pencil sketching. She was a wonderful instructor. Then she had me sketch on a piece of canvas. I was nervous but another deep breath and I was on my way. Then the paints came out. This was like teaching a culinary class and handing someone a chefs knife and watching their knees buckle. She went through the colors and how to mix and work with different textures. Her techniques were simple to follow. By the end of class, the painting was done. She asked me to step back and take a look. It was amazing to me. I could see all of the tips she gave and the patience she displayed. It was on my tiny canvas and beautiful!

I quickly scheduled a second lesson in two weeks. I love food and I love art. Im not sure if she knew i loved tea and i work with food but her first still art lesson was right on. I’m guessing my painting will include some sort of food. Food is love and so is art.

As I discover who I am and what I really like, I’m learning to love who I actually am. It took me a long time to get here but it’s been worth the trip. I love to teach and I have spent most of my life being the instructor. Today I was the student. I’m now going to enjoy the rest of my days being that student. I love the new experiences life has to offer.


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Fall in love with gluten free baking

Tonight is the night I am going to try to put a stop to the panic attacks gluten-free baking tends to bring on. I’m not handing out any meds here just straight sound advice.

When a person had been diagnosed with celiac disease, it feels as though your world of fine cuisine fades away with the evening sun. It’s over. You have to adjust to cardboard with powdered sugar for dessert. Cardboard with tomato sauce and some kind of cheese for pizza and you have to toast every tiny piece of bread you get your hands on. Well, those days are over.

The competition for gluten-free foods is at an all time high right now. There are amazing products popping out of kitchens made by families who decided they’ll make their own food. This is a good thing. Competition is a wonderful tool to motivate every producer, baker and chef to improve what’s being made every day. That means one thing. Better products every day. How would you feel if I said the best products will come out of your own kitchen? Perhaps I need the meds? Wrong answer. Read on.

What I want to share with you is a very easy secret that I want you to share with everyone you know. Every recipe for cakes, pies, cookies and whoopie pies (It’s a New England thing.) you have in your old recipe box is every recipe you’ll ever need to be the best at what you do. Why you ask?? Because these recipes are traditions in your family that you are going to be able to pass on to your children gluten-free or not. Those cookies you remember as a child with your mom or grand mother are the same ones you’ll enjoy every holiday. The trick? Just substitute a good All-purpose gluten-free flour cup for cup and a little xanthan gum for stability. That’s it! I converted every recipe I used in my traditional bakery to gluten-free successfully. Don’t be afraid. You can do this. It seems the panic attacks come from all of the weird ingredients and different flours. Don’t worry about that. Just get the flour and let the gluten-free gurus do all of the work figuring out what flour goes with what.

The best recipe to try this method with is brownies. They are pretty fool-proof and most brownie recipes have very little flour. Just try it. Every weekend I make pumpkin donuts and apple donuts by using my recipe for pumpkin bread and apple bread. I simply substitute Gf flour and add some xanthan and before you know it, you have everyone’s attention with the Fall aroma. No one will ever know they are gluten-free.

There are some other tricks I’ll share with you as I go. The real kicker here is you don’t have to invest in a ton of cookbooks that you don’t need. It’s all right there at your fingertips. All I ask is that you take a deep breath and focus on the fun behind the food you will create. When you realize how easy this can actually be, you’ll enjoy cooking and baking again. You’ll find your creative side and fall in love with it all over again.

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Confectionery Miracle worker

Today was a rather interesting day. I was called a “Miracle Worker”. I managed to have a favorite cookie for a little friend who asked for it out of the blue and just happened to have made them. I thought a miracle worker? Just for having the right cookie? If miracles were that easy it would be my full time job. So then I thought, “Why can’t they be?”. Now I’m no Saint Theresa nor would I ever claim to be. As a matter of fact, anyone that knows me would be laughing hysterically right now if they heard me say that. However, how many times have you been called an angel or a saint just for doing something thoughtful and meaning it? I think even a small box of homemade cookies could really make someone’s day. Including yours for making them. There’s something to be said about being the person that creates in the kitchen for everyone. It’s a wonderful feeling and when you have that wonderful feeling, that’s what goes into what you are making. That’s the love that I am talking about when I say what you put into food, they will receive. Maybe that’s YOUR little miracle.

My point is, sometimes it IS as simple as a cookie. Think about someone who could really use one right now. Not so much the actual cookie itself but the act of kindness that goes along with it. Remember I talked about balance the other day. The thoughtful act of making a small batch filled with simple ingredients and a little love will go a long way. You have the balance of the love, taste and presentation.

Shortbreads come to mind when I think simple. It’s got six ingredients and can be made into just about every conceivable shape you can think of. Linzors are my absolute favorite. A nice crisp cookie with a fresh raspberry jam (bonus if you made the jam!) and a little dust of powdered sugar. I also like to make these with a chocolate filling inside and a gentle drizzle over the top. Placed in a small box with some pretty paper and a decorative little bow, this is the kind of little miracle you can create for someone.

*Gluten free friends, you can make a version of these exact cookies by substituting gluten free all purpose flour and xanthan gum in your recipes. Shortbreads are a very easy cookies to convert. Even the Scottish bakers add a little white rice flour for texture.

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Food is a balance

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Food is a delicate balance sometime. Such is life.

My philosophy is what you put into food, people will receive. What that means is it’s a very careful balance of flavor, texture, esthetics and love. Although carefully put together, it does not have to be difficult. It’s quite the contrary.
Let me give you an example: One of the moments I most enjoy is when my daughter comes over for dinner. Even though I have fed this child (who is actually 25 but they’re always “your child”), I still carefully plan what I want to serve and how I’m going to prepare dinner. I know what she likes. Fortunately she has a very open palate so I can even create something outside the box. A typical meal starts with a trip to the farmers market (in the summer) to see what looks fresh and vibrant. There has to be color. Once I get that far, now I can start to develop the menu. Then I walk around the market and maybe see a nice goat cheese, organic eggs and fresh herbs. Now I’m thinking a fritatta or a simple omelet. I pick up a few of those beautiful tiny red potatoes for a side dish and hit up the local farmer for some fresh peaches for dessert and my menu is done.

From a nutritional stand point, I have the basic food groups and farm fresh to boot.Now I play a soft jazz and prepare dinner. Everything is carefully washed and gently chopped. The peaches are sliced and just barely sauteed in a little honey, cinnamon and a pinch of ginger. The kitchen smells great. The music sounds great and now with the aroma of a medley of vegetables and herbs, the conversation flows. There is love in the kitchen shared by a mother and daughter.
She sets the table and lights a candle. As we begin our meal, the conversation starts about how it was prepared and soon turns to a trip down memory lane about meals from the past. Ones that we prepared together or others when friends came over to share. There are a few about the disasters that happen from time to time (we’ve all had them. Even the James Beard chefs). Sometime those situations turn into new recipes.

The important thing is, it’s all about the love. The love that went into choosing the ingredients, to the preparation to the service. The love you receive when you taste the sweetness of the peaches. When you find the perfect balance, the rest of the meal will follow.

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A love affair with pie crust

With Fall on our heels, it’s time to find that pie crust recipe that year after year you said you were going to tackle. Then everytime you’re ready, the phone rings, the mailman’s at the door (do they still do that?), or the kids need help with their homework (you should still do that!). Any reason was a good reason not to attempt the obvious. This year is going to be different. You’re going to create a love affair with your pie crust. This year, I’m going to give you a pie crust that is so easy to make, everyone will want you to make the holiday pies. Then and only then, you will probably regret this post but it will soon pass and before you know it, you’re opening your own bakery. Okay, not so fast but always a possibility.

There are so many different types of crust for various pies. This will be an all around easy to make blue ribbon winner. Actually, it has won awards. You can use this for quiche, fruit pies, cream pies, turnovers, tart shells, crostadas…The list goes on.

For those of you who are gluten free, the directions are exactly the same except you will substitute GF all-purpose flour for the traditional all-purpose plus add xanthan. I’ll include that in the recipe.

This basic but incredible recipe can be made by hand, in a Kitchen Aid with the pastry hook (looks like a “J”) attachment or in a Cuisinart style food processor.

Here’s the recipe that will make Four 10″ pie crusts.

Ingredients:
3 cups of all-purpose flour (or pastry flour)
1 cup (2 sticks) Cabot unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup very cold water

*Gf readers: 3 cup GF all-purpose flour plus 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1. By hand:
Place the flour, salt and butter in a bowl. Using a fork or a pastry cutter, break the butter up until the mixture resembles cornmeal

Kitchen Aid:
Place the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix on low until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

Cuisinart:
Place all of the dry ingredients and the butter in the processor. Using the pulse button, press with quick pulses until the mixture resembles cornmeal. This is the quickest method.

2. Slowly add the water until almost all of the dry ingredients are absorbed. It should still look alittle dry because you will form the dough balls withy your hands. The warmth of your hands will bring the dough together. You want to be very gentle with pie dough because once the gluten forms (what gives the dough its stretch), it can become tough.

3. Divide the dough into 4 balls. Wrap in plastic and let set in the fridge for about an hour. You can even make these the day before. Just pull them a half an hour before you’re ready to roll it.

4, Place some flour on the counter (clean ofcourse). I only use about 3 tablespoons of flour at a time. Because you’re rolling the dough on flour, you’re adding more flour into your dough so don’t roll it into a handful of flour. Gentle. We need to be gentle. Gentle equals a light flaky crust.

5. Roll into a 10″ round for a 9″ pie pan. Lay the bottom crust down on a sprayed with non stick spray pie pan and prepare the top.

I always cook my fruit fillings the day before so they are cool and ready to fill. Never put a warm filling of any kind into a fresh rolled out crust. The advantages to making your filling ahead of time are well worth the effort. You know what the filling will taste like before you bake it so no surprises. The consistency is exactly what you want it to be so again, no surprises. All you have to do is brown the crust which takes about 40 minutes. You eliminate that horrible dome with the huge air pocket when you cut into an apple pie. By cooking your pie filling, that will never happen. That in itself is well worth it! Plus, and this is a big plus, any filling you have leftover makes incredible ice cream sundaes or a quick parfait with vanilla sponge cake (aka Genoise).

Crimping the edges is as individual as snowflakes. It’s whatever work for you.Be sure to fold the top crust under the bottom crust along the edges and then pinch them together. I brush my top crust with an eggwash (1 egg plus 1 tablespoon of water). Then I take extra dough strips and cut our really cute designs. Ever wonder what to do with all of those mini cookie cutters?? Place those little guys on your crusts. Cut a vent hole for the steam to escape. Very important those vent holes. If you forget, you get a blow hole out the side of your crust. Not attractive but can always be disguised with a scoop of ice cream when you serve.

This is actually a quick lesson. I’ll have more tips to follow. I think if you have gotten this far, you’re love affair has started and there’s no reason to turn back now. Follow through and enjoy the rewards.

Tomorrow, crimping tips and decorative top ideas. Plus, how to make rolled out dough ahead of time for a quick construction.

Remember, post pictures!! I’d love to see them. And most important, go ahead and volunteer to make the pies this year. It’s your best year yet!!


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The power of food

The power of food is nothing short of amazing.

This morning did not start out as I had intended. I woke up early to get to the health store to have a fresh squeezed juice before a long day of meetings. I was so excited about this juice that I decided when I got there I would get two: one for breakfast and one for lunch. Thirty miles later, the store was closed. So I went to a second store I knew of and it was closed too. Now I had 10 minutes to get to my meeting. When I got there, just seeing a friend I knew upon arrival was enough for me to take a deep breath and know its going to get better. Not that big a deal. Then she hands me this beautiful loaf of homemade cinnamon bread. On it was my name and the person it was from. At that point, I knew the day just got better. The love that resonates from a baked good hand made and presented with a little note confirmed to me that food IS love.

I’m very thankful for this beautiful loaf of bread.

Remember the next time you make something for someone, you’re giving them more than just a homemade treat.

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With help from Grandma Cookie

Every morning I’m working at hospice, I ask Grandma Cookie to join me. My dad’s mom who arrived from Sicily and settled in the Bronx, gives me the strength from within to make cookies from her childhood. Every weekend I make a variety of biscotti. Biscotti means “twice baked”. Mine are known as a soft biscotti so that the patients can enjoy them. Traditionally they are quite hard so they can hold up to the dip in espresso.
This picture is a “brick” of orange chocolate chip with raisins. They are cut at a soft angle which gives biscotti it’s signature shape. The trick to keeping the shape is to freeze your rolled cookie dough for about 2 hours before you bake it.
Once baked, the cookies cool. The kitchen smells wonderful and a small gathering begins around the coffee.

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